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Old 10-10-2014, 07:11 PM
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Gojeep Gojeep is offline
MetalShaper of the Month March 2015, March 2020,, June 2022,Aug 2023
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Eastern Melbourne, Australia
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After taking out the twist that this frame rail had, I found it was 3mm-1/8" higher than the other side now. So to level it I used a technique used often in bridge straightening. To bring it down, most of the heat needs to end up at the bottom so it shrinks more once cooled. So you start at the top of the triangle and weave your torch slowly to the wider part as shown. Do both sides straight after each other and then the bottom flange. This site tells you all about how to do it. http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/bridge/steel/02.cfm


Got the frame dead level and square to the millimetre by measuring corner to corner. Make sure the rails are exactly the same length too. I noticed that mine were 3mm-1/8" different even before I started altering them. They were still that much out once I had made all my alterations, so I shortened one to match the other BEFORE laying any of the suspension points etc out. It is also important to run a string line right up the middle of the frame and measure off to each side along points to make sure there is no bow in the frame any where. You can have a frame measure square and still have a bow in a rail. I have gotten mine to 1.5mm accuracy off the centreline, so pretty happy with that.


The V6 version of the Grand Cherokee donor does not come with the stiffening bar between the upper suspension mounts, but my 5.7 Hemi does. I decided to stiffen it up even more by adding a second one as well. I may still plate these to make them even stronger, or make whole new ones depending on the clearance once everything is in place. In the mean time it shows at least that the distance the mounts are apart is still at factory specification. They fit right on without any levering needed.


Added the final brackets that I had removed from the donor that hold the rear panhard/trackbar in place. It bolts into 5 places, the same as stock.


Here is that cross member I made out of two stock Willys ones earlier, now tacked into place between the coil mounts.
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Marcus
aka. Gojeep
Victoria, Australia
http://willyshotrod.com

Invention is a combination of brains and materials.
The more brains you use, the less materials you need.

Last edited by Gojeep; 08-01-2017 at 03:10 AM.
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